The power output of a conventional gasoline fueled, automotive internal combustion engine is dependent upon the fuel content of the fuel-air mixture. The current typical automotive engines attain maximum power relative to any engine speed, with approximately eight percent fuel relative to the air, both by weight, in the mixture, which results in a "dirty" exhaust, including unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide gases. Further, the fuel-air ratio cannot be reduced in a conventional internal combustion engine, without severe loss of power, and without intolerable operational difficulties because its single induction system cannot concentrate at the cylinder's spark plug, sufficient fuel of a leaner mixture, to enable consistent ignition and/or adequate stoichiometrical combustion of the fuel and air mixture.
The maximum speed of a conventional internal combustion engine is limited in part by (1) the ability of the engine to "breathe", i.e., rapidly induct sufficient air to at least ninety (90) percent fill the cylinder, and (2) the piston reciprocating (sliding) speed. The normal maximum allowable engine speed of a conventional durable, commercial, internal combustion automotive engine is approximately four thousand five hundred revolutions per minute and based upon a maximum of 3000 feet per minute piston reciprocating speed. At greater speeds, the cylinders cannot be adequately filled with mixture, which results in loss of torque and power. A supercharger can significantly fill the cylinders at increased engine rpm, but it is additional equipment and expense. Assuming, however, that the engine speed were to be increased by supercharging a conventional internal combustion engine, the piston wear upon the cylinders' internal wall would prematurely destroy the cylinders and the pistons.
The disclosed internal combustion engine very nearly eliminates all emissions by enabling a substantial reduction of the fuel in the fuel-air mixture and offsets the potential power loss from such reducing of mixture proportions by enabling an increase of the engine speed beyond said normal mechanically allowable limits of piston reciprocating (sliding) speed. This increased piston reciprocating speed is permitted by utilizing a novel roller crosshead assembly which eliminates the connecting rod forces on the pistons and cylinders. These forces also wear the cylinders out-of-round and into an oval shape. As such wear is occurring, the piston rings commence allowing increased combustion gas leakage from the cylinder and into the crankcase to add to the emissions and the general air polluting situation. The roller crosshead eliminates such wear and such leakage. Furthermore, the worn oval shape cylinders allow engine lubricating oil, in the engine's crankcase, to be pumped by the reciprocating piston into the cylinder combustion portion above the piston heads, and thereafter incompletely burned, and exhausted from the cylinder in that state to form one contributor to polluting exhaust emission known as unburned hydrocarbons. This source of air pollution also becomes substantially nothing, by the crosshead usage. The only other known ways to rid the exhaust of this HC emission are with use of after burners pumping fresh air into the exhaust system in order to burn the HC products, or, by catalizing the exhaust products into nonpolluting, but highly offensive, odorous products; the latter mentioned ways adding to the mechanical complexity of the engine (power plant) and its initial and maintenance expense. The roller crosshead enables the above stated oil pumping situation to be eliminated by enabling the piston exterior surfaces between the piston rings and the wrist pin, to be sealed off from the lubricating oil in the engine's crankcase.